Image Worship III
Image Worship III;”My prayer is that the pagan customs that predate Christianity will not cause worship to become a stolen valor. Stolen valor is when someone receives the glory that belongs to another.” WD Roscoe
At the end of the Christmas holiday, there is that moment when it’s time for our love ones to depart and return to their homes and workplaces. Then, there is the mad dash to crowded stores where gifts exchanged for something more practical or something that is liked better by the gift’s owner. While nothing is wrong with gift exchanging, it does open a door for a final discussion surrounding image worship.
Speculations and conjectures are words that add interesting material to a teaching or lecture. They may only amount to hearsay or opinions and do not necessarily have to be truths.
For example, when we say “Jesus Christ is a gift to the world.” While this statement is true, does the listener understand the difference between the meaning of a “gift” versus a “ransom?” The words “gifts and presents” are synonymous with “benevolences and offerings”. However, the truth is that Jesus Christ became a “sacrifice” for man. Sacrifice means that Jesus was a ransom for our sins rather than a gift or present.
The idea of a ransom paid for redemption dates back as far as the book of Exodus. Just like the Temple offerings were sacred, God prepared a consecrated Lamb with sacred properties that were only found in Yeshua (Jesus of Nazareth) our Lord and Savior. 
The point here is that no ordinary offerings were sufficient for a sacred sacrifice to the LORD, by the sanctuary regulations.
12 “Whenever you take a census of the people of Israel, each man who is counted must pay a ransom for himself to the LORD. Then no plague will strike the people as you count them.
13 Each person who is counted must give a small piece of silver as a sacred offering to the LORD. (This payment is half a shekel, based on the sanctuary shekel, which equals twenty gerahs.)
(Exo 30:12-13 NLT)
28 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mat 20:28 NLT)
45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mar 10:45 NLT)
6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
7 And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating– just telling the truth. (1Ti 2:6-7 NLT)
When a person receives a gift, that gift belongs to the person receiving the gift. He or she can do whatever they want with it because the gift is theirs. The significant difference with a ransom is that somebody else puts up the ransom and payment goes to the holder of the hostage. Important Note: The devil is not the holder nor is he the owner of the children of God. Adonai (the God of Israel) had a plan to redeem His people from under the mandatory penalties demanded by the Law. The devil had no authority in God’s legal system; it was God’s right to do what was just. So, God set up a system where a mediator could pay “the bail” for the law breakers in the form of a ransom. No gold, silver, or money could redeem the soul of man. Only a sacred ransom (divine substitute) would satisfy the requirements of the Law.
14 “Should I ransom them from the grave? Should I redeem them from death? O death, bring on your terrors! O grave, bring on your plagues! For I will not take pity on them. (Hos 13:14 NLT)
Yeshua, (Jesus Christ) was the only individual who exhibited both
the characteristics of a Mediator and a Redeemer in one person. Jesus told the people what His Heavenly Father required of them. Then, He went to the Father and poured His blood on the Mercy Seat on our behalf.
5 For there is only one God and one Mediator, who can reconcile God and humanity– the man Christ Jesus.
6 He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.
7 And I have been chosen as a preacher and apostle to teach the Gentiles this message about faith and truth. I’m not exaggerating– just telling the truth.
8 In every place of worship, I want men to pray with holy hands lifted up to God, free from anger and controversy.
(1Ti 2:5-8 NLT)
Image Worship III
Therefore, it was God, Himself Who brought the holiest sacrifice possible that could entirely satisfy the divine requirement of Torah. That lamb of God was the only redeeming entity who met the extreme scrutiny and demands of the Law.
My prayers are that all of the sights and sounds of the Christmas celebration will not overshadow the events of Calvary. And, that the pagan customs that predate Christianity will not cause worship to become a stolen valor. Stolen valor is when someone receives the glory that belongs to another. Our Given Savior and He alone deserves ALL the Glory.
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Once again Bishop very powerful blog. With the knowledge that has been put before me, I often think it is amazing how the l-rd set me up to see truth. I spoke to a friend about your blogs about Christmas. Just because we say, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” People think it is ok to still put trees in the homes. But, it is ironic how He gives more understanding as time go on. It is amazing how you mentioned about stolen valor.. Some people take credit for what they think is truth and the Holy Scriptures. Thank G-d for Ransom. The Blood being poured on the mercy seat. That goes beyond my mental capacity. Yes, Jesus was the perfect gift. But, as the package was sent some did not know how to properly sign for it. But, the world needs to read these blogs.
In an attempt to be overly spiritual we often divide the body of Christ over pointless trivialities. Of course Jesus was a ransom. I don’t believe this is in, any way, in dispute. But he was also a gift from the Father as mentioned in the universally famous John 3:16.
It seems so unnecessarily divisive to mince words on so simple a topic, one that is really not in dispute, when the body of Christ and the world at large is facing problems of such significant importance.
Thanks you for your comment on our blog, “Image Worship III.” You are right about John 3:16 where it states that God gave His only begotten Son so that the world could be saved.
John 3:16 in the Greek: οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ᾽ ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. (Joh 3:16 BGT) “to give”
I actually did say that Jesus was a gift to the lost in that blog. While we know that He was given, He was given as a sacrificial offering to the religious system. The process was that it took the death of the innocent to atone the sins of the sinner. We give Him praise for such a selfless act that allowed us who believe to be in fellowship with the Father.
As for myself, I personally enjoy in-depth meaning of words such as the verse you used in John 3:16. The Greek word “ἔδωκεν” pronounced {did’-o-mee} in that passage according the Thayer means= “to give.” The Amplified Bible translates ἔδωκεν as “to give up.” Please forgive me for my passion for discovery and word meaning outside of the King James Version. I am a staff member of a Bible College and we study word meanings. Words and their meanings were so important to the Hebrews that they used books such as the Mishnah and Talmud for the propose of correctly rendering passages out of the ancient Jewish writing.
So, when we examine John 3:16’s “ἔδωκεν = gave His Son” we find more usages of the same Greek word ἔδωκεν as translated in other places.
2d3b) to give or commit to someone something to be religiously observed
2e) to give what is due or obligatory, to pay: wages or reward out lots
3b) to appoint to an office 3c) to cause to come forth, i.e. as the sea, death and Hell are said to give up the dead who have been engulfed or received by them
3c) to give one to someone as his own
3c1) as an object of his saving care
3c2) to give one to someone, to follow him as a leader and master
3c3) to give one to someone to care for his interests
3c4) to give one to someone to whom he already belonged, to return
At the end of the day, I agree with the comment that Jesus was a gift. However, I have provided these other resources are available to bring more clarity and reasons to worship our Lord and Savior.
Thank you for your response and the clarifying words.
Biblical scholarship, including the study of the original languages of the Bible, is critical for the Church to continue to understand and accurately interpret the will of God. My concern lies primarily with doctrinal divisiness that continue to splinter Christ’s body. Certainly a stand must be made against true heresies that stand in the way of the freedom that the gospel presents to the world, such as those the Apostle Paul fought vehemently against in many of his epistles, but we must, as a body, shed even our most beloved dogmas, dogmas that are not essential for the spread of the true gospel, if they hinder the very unity Jesus died to create.
God bless and Happy New Year.
Our origin discussion was about mixing pagan practice with Christianity. Paul preached a similar message, act 19:15 But one time when they tried it, the evil spirit replied, “I know Jesus, and I know Paul, but who are you?”
16 Then the man with the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them, and attacked them with such violence that they fled from the house, naked and battered.
17 The story of what happened spread quickly all through Ephesus, to Jews and Greeks alike. A solemn fear descended on the city, and the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly honored.
18 Many who became believers confessed their sinful practices.
19 A number of them who had been practicing sorcery brought their incantation books and burned them at a public bonfire. The value of the books was several million dollars.
20 So the message about the Lord spread widely and had a powerful effect.
(Act 19:15-20 NLT)
These believers had to hear that mixing pagan practice with faith in was against the word of God. This dose not separate the body, it helps the body of Christ to serve God and God along.